Chamonix Alpine Intro

High on the ascent of the Pigne d'Arolla (3790m). The culmination of an excellent week of mountaineering & training on our Chamonix Alpine Intro course...

Whilst Chamonix is the capital of world mountaineering, you do not need to be a great climber to enjoy its vast mountain attractions. On the contrary, one of Chamonix's real assets is that it has peaks and climbs suitable for all levels of challenge and for every step along the path to Becoming an Alpinist. This training course is designed for those who are new to alpine mountaineering and want to either develop their skills to become independent alpine climbers or complete further climbs with a Guide. It would also be suitable for folk wishing to climb Mont Blanc after the course or with future plans for introductory expeditions in other high mountain ranges around the world.

A team of 3 climbers in training for a Mont Blanc ascent move together along an easy but narrow snow ridge with the rope snug between them. Higher up on the ridge the ground becomes more mixed and rock spikes can be used at running belays / anchor point. In this style the terrain is covered relatively swiftly but not hurried. Sound cramponing and general movement skills remain the principal focus of concentration.

During 5 action packed mountain days, this course aims to provide you with high quality training in all the alpine essentials whilst completing some fine peaks and fun routes along the way. This blend of mountaineering, training and climbing will give you a sound understanding of the essential practical skills of alpinism and a suitable context in which to use & develop those skills. The course will also be a fun & sociable week completing some great mountain journeys with a like minded team.

There are four Cornerstones to Alpine Mountaineering...

Which those experienced in smaller and non-glaciated hills may not be familiar with...These four themes will drive the content of the training throughout the week.

Good movement skills on all terrain from walking to steep climbing and from rock to ice (sound cramponing is a key element of this)

Always roping together members of the team on a snow covered glacier

Sticking to guide book time for the route - the need to be efficient and how to achieve this

An awareness of objective hazards and how to mitigate against them

Skills Covered During the Course

Crampon and ice-axe training / skills

Personal movement skills on a variety of types of terrain

Safe, simple and efficient glacier travel protocol & techniques

Efficient use of the rope on mountaineering terrain

Crevasse rescue techniques, keeping it simple and effective

Selecting appropriate equipment to be safe but also light and effective

Using mountain huts

The use of alpine maps and guide books and selecting appropriate routes

Course Programme

Please note: This itinerary is flexible and may change according to weather, conditions & team fitness & aspirations.

Pre Course - Arrive in Chamonix & check in to accommodation. Arrange any hire equipment. Initial, warm up walking / acclimatisation if possible but not essential.

Day 1 - Course Intro & final equipment checks followed by an ascent to the famous 'Mer de Glace', France's largest Glacier, accessed via the historic Montenvers mountain railway. This is a great place to offer training in the essential mountaineering skills of tying in to the rope, moving together as an alpine team on both rocky & glacial terrain and, crucially, training good crampon & ice-axe techniques. There should also be the opportunity to try some steeper ice climbing!

Day 2 - Drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel to the upper Val d'Aosta and ascend the Punta Hellbronner lift to access the high snowy glaciers of the Italian side of Monte Bianco. Enjoy a glacier journey, climb a 3500m peak via a mixed rocky scramble and practice glacier travel & crevasse rescue techniques.

Day 3 - An enjoyable intro to alpine rock climbing & general climbing ropework techniques. This is a lower altitude day with no crampons & ice axes. A more relaxing walk in trainers gives us access to the lovely slabby Gneiss cliffs of Chamonix's Aiguilles Rouges. Here we can enjoy some single pitch rock climbing, abseiling & general rope work training as well as perhaps make an ascent of the highly scenic & photogenic 'Aiguillette'. The day can be reviewed with a briefing for the final hut & expedition phase at the pretty Refuge Tre-le-Champ.

Days 4 & 5 - Classic Swiss Alpine Expedition! After our 3 initial days training it's time to embark on climbing a big peak with an overnight stay at a lovely Swiss mountain hut. After a quality Swiss café and any final shopping in the high alpine village of Arolla we enjoy the long & scenic ascent to the Dix Hut (2928m). En route, some further scrambling / rock climbing can be enjoyed around the crossing of the Pas de Chevre. The hut is a hospitable place to stay, enjoy a hearty dinner and be well placed for a pre-dawn alpine start the next morning. The glacial & snowy high mountain traverse of the Pigne d'Arolla (3790m) gives a superb alpine journey with stunning views of the Matterhorn & many other high peaks of the Swiss, French & Italian Alps. We return to Arolla for lunch & on to Chamonix by late afternoon to relax & celebrate the action packed week.

Course Pre-Requirements

Whilst it not essential to have any background of rock climbing or winter mountaineering any climbing experience, even at a climbing wall will be useful, as will any general hill walking and scrambling eperience. A good fitness level is required for alpine mountaineering days 6 - 8 hours in duration. The traverse of the Pigne d'Arolla on the last day is particularly physical and you should be well prepared for around 8 hours on the go at high altitude. This course would also be suitable for climbers with some technical experience who are keen to receive alpine specific training and develop their personal skills with a view to climbing independently after the course.

Read A Published Article About This Course

This course was featured in an article in 'Trek & Mountain' Magazine in November 2014. You can read the full article via the link below:

This article was written by Chris Kempster and published in the November 2014 edition of 'Trek & Mountain' Magazine. It describes the experience of 4 aspiring mountaineers who come to Chamonix to learn the skills of...
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Enjoyed the week a great deal. Owain was professional, fun and very knowledgeable and look forward to arranging some winter trips. The pacing of the week was great - gave me a chance to take it all step by step. Regards, Will

Equipment List

An alpine mountaineering equipment list is given below. In addition to good quality warm hill walking gear you will need technical equipment like; alpine mountaineering boots, crampons, ice-axe, harness and helmet. All this gear can be easily hired from us or in Chamonix. Check our Chamonix mountaineering equipment hire section.

A summary of technical equipment & clothing required for summer alpine mountaineering. The alpine style involves climbing with a small & light pack that has all the essentials, sufficient emergency equipment, an...
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2017 Course Dates & Prices

Our intro alpine courses are open to all individuals & small groups who meet the course pre-requirements. They include 5 full climbing / guided days on the dates given below. If you have a private team and would like to arrange your own dates then please get in touch to discuss arranging your own programme.

Mountain Hut for you and the Guide. Allow about 65 euros per night for dinner, bed & breakfast and your part share in the same for the Guide (at a heavily reduced rate). The best way to deal with these expenses is to make a communal group 'kitty' which you contribute to and all expenses are paid out of.

Additional snacks, drinks, lunch etc

Flights

Transfers to Chamonix (C. 35 euros for single journey from Geneva Airport)

Mountaineering equipment. Check the kit list above

Insurance suitable for alpine mountaineering in Europe

2016 Alpine Intro 'Weekends'

A very important part of day 1 and the alpine training process in general. Good movement skills with crampons, in this instance 'flat footing' techniques. An ideal training venue here on the bare / 'dry' ice of a glacier above the Chamonix Valley.

In addition to our full 5 day classic alpine intro week as described above, we also offer 2-3 day Chamonix based alpine intro courses. These include an 0830 meeting with the team & guide on day 1 followed by an alpine hut walk and then mountaineering & glacier travel training on a glacier near the hut. This is a great way to get some quality training, start acclimatising for your trip or just brush up on rusty mountaineering skills.

After an atmospheric evening & night in the mountain hut (usually the Albert Premier Hut at the eastern end of the Mont Blanc Range) the team takes a pre-dawn breakfast and alpine start across the glacier with the aim of climbing one of the celebrated intro 3500m peaks on the French / Swiss Alpine border. This is a great journey and fine acclimatisation for forthcoming alpine projects.

Our 2 day programme descends back to the hut and to finish down in the Chamonix Valley that afternoon whilst the 3 day programme continues from the peak over to another hut (usually the Trient Hut, 3170m on the Swiss side of the Trient Glacial plateau). Here a classic hearty Swiss Rösti can be enjoyed for lunch before an afternoon scramble (or siesta) and another night in the hut, this time above 3000m.

The final day of the 3 day programme traverses the Trient Glacier and climbs another one of the 3500m peaks on the Swiss / French border like the Aiguille du Tour, Tete Blanche or Petite Fourche, before descending back across the French Tour Glacier, past the Albert Premier Hut and back down to finish in the Chamonix Valley after a rewarding 3 days in the high mountains.

The course pre-requirements & kit list are the same as for our classic 5 day alpine course as per the descriptions above.

2016 Alpine Intro 'Weekends' Dates & Prices

June 12-14

3 days, Sunday - Tuesday Inclusive, 0 / 4 Places Still Available. (Enquiries: 3) COURSE FULL - Please see other dates or contact us if you would like us to run another group over these dates. Note possible Gran Paradiso extension below also.

Further Details & Booking

We are always delighted to hear from past, current and future clients so whether you have a booking enquiry, want a conditions report, or some mountaineering advice please do get in touch to discuss your plans...

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